Spare Tire check

[Tony H]

I just recently put a new steel Rear brakeline on . I took the Spare down and out of the way for the job. I had to really whack the Mount with a hammer to get it to break loose from the center of the rim. Before putting it back, I checked and filled the tire with air and I greased up the touch-points of the mount.
Two weeks later, Christmas day, I got a flat, First one in my 30 years of driving. Although I was cranky, The job went fast and smooth. I dropped the tire and the mount came off easy and I had air in the spare. Maybe the weight of the Tire Iron might have freed up the mount from the Center but maybe not..
As a precaution, Go through the motions of taking the spare down and releasing it from that Center mount.
Last night I took the spare down again, sanded the steel rim and Painted it up. It was looking pretty bad. A spare with no air, a substandard rim and no way to break it loose from the Mount doesn't do you any good.

 

[BrianDye]

Haha, you made a very good point, and I would also reccomend it, as I did try with a tire iron and it didnt budge. (On my 92)

I had to get home and BEAT the thing to hell with a hammer before it finally broke loose, I never thought of sanding the rim and painting it though, thats a good idea because mines ugly and rusted to hell LOL

The one on my new 95 looks brand spankin new lol

 

[Carguy3J]

Paint is only a very temporary solution, unless you got every spec of rust. POR15 would be a much better, and permanent solution.
Just don't get it on your hands.......or your, ahem, "hootus". ....no wait, that was Herculiner......still......:scratch:

I'm going to switch out my old, nasty (and heavy) steel spare, for an aluminum one that matches the rest. It won't rust, it won't look "funny" if I ever need to use it, and it's lighter than the steel one.